Madison

Madison is the second-largest city in Wisconsin, the state capital, and the seat of Dane County. Located on an isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, it was founded in 1836 and named for President James Madison, who died that same year. During the American Civil War, it served as a base for the Union Army, and Confederate prisoners were interned at Camp Randall on the city's west side. During the 1960s and the 1970s, Madison became a center of the counterculture movement, and the Mifflin Street Block Party evolved from being a yearly protest to being a yearly event. In 2011, Madison was the site of large protests against Governor Scott Walker during the recall election. In 2018, Madison had a population of 258,054 people.